Described by Scott as both "monstrous" and "massive", Michael could make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour, according to current projections.

A tropical depression became Tropical Storm Michael on Sunday and may become a hurricane by midweek, potentially bringing storm surges and heavy rainfall to the U.S. Gulf Coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The storm was centered about 30 miles (80 kilometers) off the western tip of Cuba, and about 520 miles (835 kilometers) south of Apalachicola, Florida. A storm surge of up to 12 feet is forecast for a large section of the Florida coast.